Three Calif. Insurers Extend Payment Deadlines for Feb. Premiums
Three Covered California insurers have extended the deadline for consumers to pay their February premiums, KQED's "The California Report" reports (Aliferis, "The California Report," KQED, 1/29).
Background
Earlier this month, Covered California extended until Jan. 15 the deadline for consumers to pay their first month's premium through the exchange. By the end of December 2013, about 400,000 individuals signed up for health coverage through Covered California, overwhelming the exchange's website and call centers.
Several other insurers further extended their payment deadlines for January premiums.
For example, Anthem Blue Cross said it would extend its payment deadline for January premiums to Jan. 31, and Kaiser Permanente said it would extend its January payment deadline by one week, to Jan. 22 (California Healthline, 1/15).
New Deadlines for February Premiums
Covered California's deadline to pay premiums for coverage beginning Feb. 1 initially was Wednesday (Rep. Paul Ruiz website, 1/30).
On Wednesday, three insurers selling policies through the exchange announced new payment deadlines for February premiums:
- Blue Shield of California extended its deadline to Jan. 31;
- HealthNet extended its deadline to Jan. 31 for individuals signing up for a new plan beginning in February; and
- Kaiser extended its deadline to Feb. 18.
In an email, a Kaiser spokesperson said the insurer decided to extend its deadline because of high call volumes to its call centers ("The California Report," KQED, 1/30).
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